OK, so you are Les Moonves, head of CBS. Here is the ratings information for the season beginning Sept. 2009 you have to consider:

"60 Minutes" - ranked No. 9 in the Nielsen ratings, with an average audience each week of 15.7 million

"The Amazing Race" 15 and 16 - there was a break of about 3 months but for the Sunday nights that a season was active, my memory says the average weekly audience have been between 9 million and 10 million.

Now, would you bump or otherwise take away from a consistent top-rated and profitable show for only the past 42 years to favor a very good show with 8.5 years of moderate ratings? No business executive would (unless he knew that Andy rooney would be retiring and taking the franchise with him).

While 60 minutes is viewed by more people on average, TAR generates more revenue, since the advent of people meters, total audience hasn't been the measure that sets ad rates (what pays teh bills) that is age demographics (60 minutes has one of the worst of any show on CBS) and household income (60 minutes has one of the highest of CBS).

TAR for most of its run (has People meters took over in 05) has generated more ad revenue then 60 minutes. In fact, until this season no other show on Sunday for CBS has generated more revenue for CBS on Sunday then TAR.

And 60 minutes has been having significant year to year declines among not only its total audience, but severe declines in adults 18-49 (the key age demographic used to set ad rates).

The reason CBS wont (at least for a couple years) change 60 minutes is not due to its audience, but do it being considered an institution.

While 60 minutes is going to end this season in may with 20-30% declines across the board (at thats being generous) TAR will actually be showing year to year increases. And has been one of the most stable performers on CBS.

I am responding to mswood's argument that 60 Minutes is less valuable to CBS than the Amazing Race is. Well, as the Geico man says (with a little poetic license by me) "do statistics lie of course they can be manipulated)? Do the statistics that are endlessly quoted on other threads of team rankings mean anything? why are the ratings systems so complicated that anyone can pretty much get a very wide range of different conclusions from them (ah, now that's the really important question)." So, here are some statistics that I would use if I were the head of CBS:

Do I recall that the Amazing Race Finished somewhere in the low 30s in placement on this ranking?

What would I do? I would continue to treat 60 Minutes as if it were the most special program in the entire CBS lineup. I hope the Amazing Race in its 20th+ or so season can take that title away.

I think there is a simpler answer to this whole thing. CBS has more 60 minutes episodes ready for broadcast and fewer TAR16 episodes. Putting a week spacer into the TAR16 run pushes the finale to a more desirable May sweeps slot. And finally, TAR junkies will be even more ravenous for an episode after a one-week hiatus than 60 minutes viewers.

On the ninth leg of this edition of the Amazing Race, the five remaining teams travel to Singapore. At the Victoria Concert House, Alan Wu (the host of Amazing Race: Asia) offers a choice of “detour” tasks: teams must either “pound drums” by learning a traditional lion drum routine or “pound pavement” by selling 25 ice cream sandwiches. After the detour, teams are given the option to U-Turn one other team. If a team is U-Turned, they must return and complete the other detour task. The roadblock this leg is at the boat dock, where one team member must count the links in a giant anchor chain. After all the tasks are completed, teams race to the pit stop located at the Marina Barrage.

Yet there was another task, too — the Fast Forward, a task that allows the first team to complete it the ability to bypass all other tasks and proceed directly to the pit stop. Brothers Dan and Jordan were the lucky ones to do this challenge, probably my favorite Fast Forward task ever, which requires a team to ride the Singapore Flyer (the world’s largest observation wheel) to the top, get out of the safety of their car, and then crawl from one car to the next, 541 feet above the ground. Dan and Jordan show tremendous competitiveness and courage and finish despite Jordan’s clear fear of heights. Kudos!

For the rest, they opt to “pound drums” instead of sell ice cream. I’m not sure why “pound drums” was the preferred choice, especially since it didn’t seem that difficult to sell the ice cream. Nevertheless, teams struggled as they tried to learn the traditional drum routine from elementary school children. Even so, Caite really stood out. Not only did she have no difficulty learning the routine, she also helped Brent focus and talked him through the task. As a result, the two were able to get to the U-Turn quickly.

That proved critical as the elimination this week was decided by the U-Turn. So — spoiler alert! — Brent and Caite decided to U-Turn Carol and Brandy, which set the two women back and led to their last-place finish.

Caite went into this race looking to prove herself to the nation after her embarrassing moment at the Miss Teen USA competition where she fumbled an answer about geography. Throughout the Race, Carol and Brandy made sure Caite did not forget that moment by asking where her tiara was, impersonating her answer, and commenting on her intelligence. Well, Caite had her redemption moment. Not only did Brent and Caite succeed this leg because of her smarts and ability to learn a complicated routine under pressure, but Caite was able to exact revenge on Carol and Brandy by U-Turning them. This was not strategic — it was personal. Carol and Brandy’s biggest mistake, then, happened long ago during the very first leg. They made an enemy.

But back to the Race! We are close to the final leg and only one team away from the final three. In terms of momentum, Louie and Michael are going the wrong direction. They survive this leg because they stoke Brent and Caite’s dislike of Carol and Brandy. I’m worried they will not crack the top three. I really like how Dan and Jordan are working together. It was nice to see Brent and Caite stay calm — this is a new and more confident team. And what’s not to like about the cowboys Jet and Cord? What’s great this season is that there is no one favorite or dominant team. It will be very interesting to see what happens next. — Victor Jih

Tell us: Why do you think every team chose drums over ice cream? Which team would you have U-Turned? And now that only four teams are left, who do you think will be in the final three?

"Our fans are pretty good. They don't give away too much. Sometimes people love dropping spoilers, but our fans are good. They tend to do it in such a way that doesn't ruin it for fans who don't want to know."--Phil Keoghan

Caite went into this race looking to prove herself to the nation after her embarrassing moment at the Miss Teen USA competition where she fumbled an answer about geography. Throughout the Race, Carol and Brandy made sure Caite did not forget that moment by asking where her tiara was, impersonating her answer, and commenting on her intelligence. Well, Caite had her redemption moment. Not only did Brent and Caite succeed this leg because of her smarts and ability to learn a complicated routine under pressure, but Caite was able to exact revenge on Carol and Brandy by U-Turning them. This was not strategic — it was personal. Carol and Brandy’s biggest mistake, then, happened long ago during the very first leg. They made an enemy.

This paragraph is disappointing. It just follows the spoon-fed storyline without any kind of thought put into it.

At the time, the two teams weren't really enemies. To become enemies, they would have had to have more moments like this later in the race.

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Throughout the Race, Carol and Brandy made sure Caite did not forget that moment by asking where her tiara was, impersonating her answer, and commenting on her intelligence.

We have little to no evidence that this sort of thing occurred beyond the incident in Leg 1.

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Carol and Brandy’s biggest mistake, then, happened long ago during the very first leg. They made an enemy.

They didn't make an enemy so much as the enemy created itself. It happened after very little justifiable action on the part of Carol & Brandy.

Last week's episode of The Amazing Race took place in Singapore where the teams all held hands the whole time and had no drama at all. Riiiight. That's like saying the Earth is flat or Ryan Seacrest is funny. The teams take a bus from Penang, Malaysia, hop on a train to Singapore and take a taxi to the Victoria Concert Hall. There they must find Allen Wu (host of The Amazing Race: Asia) for their next clue. The Detour gives the teams a choice between playing the drums or selling ice cream sandwiches, followed by a U-Turn and then the Roadblock. The leg finishes up at a marina after a leisurely ride down a massive zip line. The drama is in full force (I'll try and avoid it as best I can) and the leg is full of excellent Amazing Race tid-bits, so let's dig in.

WHOM SHALL WE U-TURN?Mike and Louie did a great job at taking the U-Turn target off their back this episode. The detectives fed Brent and Caite's existing distain for the ladies by talking about how they're well traveled and full of secret skills in the intelligence arena. Even though Jordan points out on the bus that Carol and Brandy have yet to win a leg, Brandy and Carol are still the number one target. Meanwhile, Mike and Louie and The Cowboys have the majority of wins under the belts. Caite talks about how she wants to U-Turn them because they're mean to hear (enter "where's her tiara" clip for the 20th time this season), but we find out the target is also drawn from her mission to be the last female standing. While most racers' mission is to win a million bucks, I don't think there's anything wrong with having a personal goal in mind. She's there to redeem herself and change how people think about her based on her famed pageant answer. Understandable, since almost every team has a point to prove while on the race (interracial couples, breaking stereotypes, etc.), but Caite's personal goals have kept the two strongest teams in the race with them, which could backfire.

ARE YOU THERE, RACERS? IT'S ME, ALLEN WU Once they find the Victoria Concert Hall, the Racers must locate Allen Wu for their next clue. I loved this Route Marker because it shows how vague the clues are. Is he inside the concert hall? Is he hanging out on the balcony? Is he hiding in the janitor's closet? No one knows. Dan and Jordan make a smart move and decide to scope out the front lawn before heading inside. Fortunately for the brothers, Jordan's instincts pay off as they're the first to locate Wu, sitting near a fountain in front of the concert hall. I love that Allen Wu made an appearance this season. Dan and I became very accustomed to his face, since The Amazing Race: Asia was pretty much all we could watch on TV while on our Pit-Stops in Southeast Asia. In English, thank God.

GOING HEAD TO HEAD Dan and Jordan definitely made a bold move in going for the Fast Forward. Jet and Cord had a different reaction to seeing the clue. Instead of risking it and giving the flyer a shot, they decide to just go "head to head" with the remaining four teams that don't do the Fast Forward. This was a good move on their part in my opinion. So far, they've shown that they can do tasks with relative ease, and they've proven time after time that they can stay in the race without the help of a Fast Forward. We made a similar move in Dubai when our season's Fast Forward came up. Ours was earlier in the season, so there were more teams to go "head to head" with. We were much more comfortable just beating them at the regular race than risking getting lost trying to find the Fast Forward or, even worse, trying it and failing. Dan and I aren't exactly car experts, and he can't even drive a stick shift, so that could have been tragic. In the end, staying with the pack paid off for us, and it did for the Cowboys as well.

KIDS ON CRACK, NOT SWINE FLU Some of my biggest chuckles this episode (second to Jordan, of course) came from Carol. At the Drum Detour, teams were taught a drum routine by young boys. Let's be honest, some of these kids couldn't have been more than 5 years old, and they were off in their own little world at times. We see Carol focusing intently on her infant instructors' hand movements, then she laughs when she realizes how lost she is. Brandy wants to go to a different instructor, and Carol tells the boy he's fabulous when they switch so as not to hurt his feelings. The boy looks clueless when they leave, probably thinking about Sponge Bob or something. At the other Detour (after the U-Turn ordeal) Carol decides that her marketing approach to selling ice cream sandwiches is to convince the locals that they are swine flu free. I just thought it was funny how she said it; so nonchalantly, under her breath and directed at no one in particular.

THE U-TURN Alright, so I'm not going to get much into the drama for many reasons, but the U-Turn this episode was clearly important. For the second time this season, a team is U-Turned not for their skill in the race, but for personal reasons. Brent/Caite's distaste for Carol and Brandy overrides a perhaps more practical option of U-Turning a team that has proven more threatening, such as the Cowboys or the Detectives. Caite is overwhelmed with join when they leave the Detour before Carol and Brandy, and literally has a fit of euphoria when they reach the U-Turn box only to find that it hasn't been used yet. We find out that Caite's aversion to Carol and Brandy comes from the negative comments they've said about her, and Brent can't stand them because he thinks their "bitches". After the ladies see that they've been U-Turned, the gloves come off. Their commentary includes "She's an idiot, and she's on YouTube to prove it", "Let's be honest, she hasn't built a career on intelligence", and they even call them "Brent and Caite Gump". Wow. I was pretty shocked by the degree of bashing coming from Carol and Brandy (well... mostly Brandy), but you can understand why they were upset. A team that has proven significantly weaker than them had a few quick successes that put them at the U-Turn before Carol and Brandy. I would have been upset for that reason too, but I don't think I would have gone so far as to call someone Cruella DeVille. I mean come on, Cruella killed puppies to make fur coats. Nothing's that bad. Let's be honest, the editors had a hay-day with this one.

THE FAST FORWARD This week's episode features the season's only Fast Forward, and it was a doozie. I only wish I could have been a fly on the wall that day at the Singapore Flyer. What we saw of Dan and Jordan during the task was absolutely hilarious, adorable and nerve racking all the same time. The brothers must have had a pretty good idea that they found Allen Wu first, because they didn't seem too concerned about arriving at the Fast Forward second, which can really set you back. For the challenge, Dan and Jordan rode the Singapore Flyer to the tip top, where they had to climb from one pod to another. Did I mention it's over 500 feet in the air? Crazy. I love heights challenges and I wish our season got to enjoy as many as this season (mostly because Dan and I were one of the only teams without a member who was afraid of heights). Jordan was completely freaked out by the challenge, and I'm pretty sure I saw a little pee running down his leg at one point. Sucks for the people below him. They're able to complete the task and are awarded a fast-track to the Pit-Stop, obtaining their first win this season. The highlight of the event is when Dan looks over at his younger brother and says, "hey, if you fall and die, I love you". Brotherly love at its finest. Very nice job by the brothers, for having the guts to risk it and for triumphing over such an insane task.

FF IN PROGRESS Mike and Louie decide to try out the Fast Forward after their rhythmic skills failed miserably. Dan and Jordan were the only team unaccounted for at the Drum Detour, so I don't blame the detectives for giving it a shot. I probably wouldn't have suspected Dan and Jordan of going for the Fast Forward either, so I don't think this was necessarily a dumb move on the part of the cops. Also, they've got a little insurance since they convinced other teams to U-Turn Brandy and Carol. After already having their spirits crushed by finding out the FF was in progress, they return to the cab only to find their driver has taken a potty break. Bad timing, indeed, and the detectives really start to sweat as time is literally slipping away.

CRAZY AMERICANS There comes the point when you're doing a challenge among hundreds of locals, just doing your thing and not thinking twice about it, when all of a sudden you realize, "wow, they must think we've escaped from a mental hospital." I'm sure Louie had this epiphany while selling the ice cream sandwiches, as he says "Ice cream... from some crazy Americans." I think the little drummer boy must have shared his crack with Mike because he goes nuts in this challenge, jumping for joy every time they sell an ice cream sandwich and doing little dances while using cartoon voices. Pretty funny, but I'm guessing a little overwhelming for the locals. Either way, they got the task done fast and were able to move right on to the Roadblock.

HE MUST WATCH A LOT OF COMEDY CENTRAL So Jordan is definitely my go-to-guy for a laugh this season. He's very witty and has a sense of timing that always seems to give me a chuckle. This week was no exception, and I felt we got an extra dose of his charm after the Fast Forward. My favorite line was when the brothers read the clue while riding back down on the Flyer, noting that the Pit-Stop is at the Marina Barage. Upon gazing out the window of their pod, Jordan says, "Oh , there it is, Marina Barage. Phil, we'll be right there!" Ok, so maybe it's not that funny when you type it out, but I died laughing when I first saw it. He's full of those lighthearted comments and I hope we see a lot more in the few remaining episodes.

So Carol and Brandy must say their goodbyes this week, unable to recover from the U-Turn. They didn't go lightly, as they extensively discuss their opinion of Caite even in their post-leg interviews. Hopefully the ladies have had time to let it go by now, but I'm guessing they'll never be pen pals with Brent and Caite. This week's episode is in China and the previews seem pretty exciting, so it should be a good showing. If you didn't understand some of this blog, just email Carol and she'll translate it into first grader English for you.

"Our fans are pretty good. They don't give away too much. Sometimes people love dropping spoilers, but our fans are good. They tend to do it in such a way that doesn't ruin it for fans who don't want to know."--Phil Keoghan

We started with eleven teams and are now down to the final four. Teams are exhausted. Stress is high. Nerves are frayed. That’s probably because teammates have been shackled to each other for nearly a month! The finish line represents both the chance to share in a million dollars and to escape from each other. But before they can get there, the four teams have to first leave Singapore and travel to Zhu Jia Jiao and Shanghai, China. Fans know that this leg is almost always non-elimination, so the objective is not avoiding elimination but positioning for the push to final three.

And in terms of positioning, the team best poised for a good run seems to be Team Cowboy. The four pairs start even on the same flight to China and learn from a giddy Caite about Carol and Brandy’s elimination. Jordan is not happy, though, and mutters that Team Cowboy is the scariest team remaining and that everyone may “regret” not eliminating them. Though there are two chances to U-Turn the Cowboys, emotion trumps strategy. Once the flight lands, Jordan’s words prove prescient. Team Cowboy immediately takes over first place as Dan and Jordan and Louie and Michael slip further and further behind with confused taxi drivers and poor language skills.

Even though no team faces elimination, I loved the tasks on this leg! Personally, I think this is probably the best set of tasks on a leg in any season of the Amazing Race. For the first time ever, there are two roadblocks on the same leg, requiring each team member to step up and perform. One team member must learn how the Chinese make noodles by hand. The other must solve a 96-piece giant puzzle in order to find the clue in the middle of a soccer stadium. Team members must also work together to dress a model according to a detailed picture. The tasks test one’s ability to learn quickly, patience in the face of adversity, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills, with a bit of luck thrown in.

And the teams also get to meet Ping Ping, the world’s smallest man. Caite wants to take Ping Ping home with her, while Jet remarks that if Ping Ping jumped out of a trash can, he’d scare the [bleep] out of you. (Sadly, this leg is dedicated to the memory of Ping Ping, who died of heart complications on March 3, 2010.)

The challenges on this leg prove that the Cowboys are the favorites. Jet rocked the noodle-making task when he quickly figured out how to use flour to separate the noodles. Cord rocked the puzzle task by staying calm after gale-force winds undid much of his work. As Jet put it, what Cord lacks in talent he more than makes up for in “try.” That’s truly an apt description for the team.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Louie and Michael make the biggest mistakes of the leg. Not only do they struggle with their taxicab driver, Louie (despite his Italian grandmother) also struggles to make pasta, the cops (despite their police background) walk right past the fashion store, and Michael (despite his investigative background) wrestles with the puzzle. The mistake-laden leg puts them in last place. While not eliminated, they do enter the next leg saddled with an extra “speed bump” task.

If I had to bet money, I sadly suspect Louie and Michael are the next to go and most people I talk to think Jet and Cord are the favorites to win. But that said, this season is all about surprises. Who would have thought Caite would be the last woman standing (congratulations!) with Brent? And Dan and Jordan’s teamwork is only getting stronger. Nothing is a certainty, which is all the more reason to keep watching! — Victor Jih

Tell us: Can Louie and Michael overcome the speed bump? Will Jet and Cord run away with it all? And is Dan the best brother in the world?

"Our fans are pretty good. They don't give away too much. Sometimes people love dropping spoilers, but our fans are good. They tend to do it in such a way that doesn't ruin it for fans who don't want to know."--Phil Keoghan

After eleven grueling legs around the world, the final three teams in the sixteenth installment of The Amazing Race are now set. So which teams made it to the final sprint? Beware of spoilers below!

The results of this leg should have been 100 percent drama free since the first three teams leave the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum over two hours before Louie and Michael, who, after being spared elimination the last leg, also face an additional speed bump task. Of course, the Race is far from predictable and this leg becomes a white-knuckle affair as brothers Dan and Jordan find themselves in a battle with the detectives for the last spot in the final three.

How did Dan and Jordan get into this predicament? As viewers, we typically focus on the roadblock or the detour tasks, but in this leg, the most difficult challenge was finding the first clue. As teams leave the pit stop, they must locate the “Garden Bridge.” It sounds simple enough but as teams ask taxicab drivers, passing pedestrians, and local merchants, few speak English and those who do fail to recognize the “Garden Bridge.” Every team faces difficulty, but Brent and Caite and Jet and Cord manage to find their way relatively quickly. Dan and Jordan, however, really struggle and — after two hours and twelve minutes of wandering aimlessly — have no clue how where the “Garden Bridge” is.

What makes the challenge so deliciously difficult? (I loved this clue.) Part of it is certainly the language barrier. Getting frustrated with people who “ought” to speak English is generally not a productive way of dealing with it. (Indeed, more people in China speak English than Americans speak Chinese.) But in this episode, it’s not only the language barrier. It’s the fact that tourist names do not always match local names. Residents know the bridge as “Waibaidu” Bridge, which SO is not “Garden” in Chinese. Locals who try to translate “Garden Bridge” literally send teams to a park, which is not where they need to go. And it’s not that the “Garden Bridge” is an obscure location. A quick search on Wikipedia identifies it as a popular destination since it is the first all-steel bridge and instantly reveals its Chinese name.

With over two hours, I can’t understand why Dan and Jordan didn’t just find an Internet connection and type “Garden Bridge Shanghai.” The other teams do the same by finding Shanghai residents with Internet access on their mobile phones.

Despite wasting time flailing around Shanghai, the brothers do have a brilliant moment. They suddenly realize their best move is to team up with Louie and Michael. Instead of roaming lost by themselves, they can turn the race into a two-team match-up for the final spot. It’s risky but it’s the best move since they are unable to make progress on their own. To their credit, Dan and Jordan generally keep their cool and are able to out-compete Louie and Michael in counting statues at the roadblock and finding the “needle-in-a-haystack” Chinese stamps at the detour. Dan and Jordan join Brent and Caite and Jet and Cord in the final three. Louie and Michael are eliminated, one leg shy of all the way.

There is no obvious winner going into the final. Brent and Caite have surged with two second-place finishes and a first place this leg. But it’s not clear which Caite will appear for the final — the supportive teammate who brings the best out of Brent or the one that won’t let Brent go to the bathroom? Jet and Cord have the most consistent record, with four first-place finishes, but the cowboys are also capable of really bad decisions (remember the Seychelles?) Having averted disaster, perhaps Dan can really make his brother’s dream come true and help him win the whole thing. But will it be the strong, sensitive brother, or the one that nearly kills the lost taxicab driver in Shanghai? We’ll find out next week! – Victor Jih

Tell Us: Who do you think is going to win The Amazing Race? Who do you think should win?

Tomorrow night, the final three teams will make their way to the finish line on the season finale of The Amazing Race. It all comes down to Jet and Cord, Dan and Jordan, and Brent and Caite. Here are my predictions for how those three teams will finish, along with predictions from fellow RealityWanted writer Vin Convertito and our reality writer, Sam McMillen of The Amazing Race 15.

VIN'S PREDICTIONS3. Dan and JordanAs much as I like these two fellows, I fear they do not have the intensity needed to rival Jet and Cord and for some strange reason, Brent and Caite keep harassing and bickering their way through the race. Dan and Jordan have gotten lucky several times and have made it very far, but I just can't see them going the distance. And if they do, it was not because they were the best team. It would have to be a matter of dumb luck.

2. Brent and CaiteOh how I wish that Brent and Caite had quit each time that they claimed they were going to; or that they were eliminated for complaining about how "stupid" everything was upon being penalized for something. Whether it is Brent telling Caite to "shut up" or Caite letting Brent know he is acting like a baby, the two do not embody any sort of team spirit or characteristics belonging to winners. It is safe to say that I detest the two models for their behavior, their words and their ridiculous sense of entitlement! My only solace comes from knowing that soon enough Brent and Caite lose to the epitome of a class act and that Jet and Cord will defy the adage that nice guys finish last.

1. Jet and CordThe best team, from day one, has got to be Jet and Cord. They have worked so well together and have clearly outperformed every other team. They are fast, they are smart, they are strong and most importantly, they are positive! Jet and Cord are role models. They are respectful, thoughtful and diligent in every way. They are the classic underdogs as well; they are the small town country boys that were more likely to have been swallowed whole by all of the large cities and culturally intense locations that comprise the race. But through it all, Jet and Cord have smiled their way to the top, winning a handful of legs along the way.

GINA'S PREDICTIONS3. Brent and CaiteI will admit that the models stepped up their game as the race went on but the final leg is always the toughest and these two are known to crack under pressure. Now, the same goes for Dan and Jordan but I'll get to them in a minute. When the going gets tough, Brent and Caite get going on each other and teams needs to work together in order to win this race. I am happy that they proved something to the other teams by making it this far, but I think third place is where they'll end up.

2. Dan and JordanIt's going to be a great moment for Jordan when he lives out his dream and crosses the finish line of The Amazing Race, though I'm sure it would be better for him and his brother if it was for the million. These two have cracked under pressure more than once, completely melting down. They would need to stay even keeled throughout this last leg in order to win and, much as I love them, I don't think that's going to happen.

1. Jet and CordTo me, Jet and Cord have been the strongest team by far for a few reason. They have great attention to detail, they work quickly to complete their tasks, and most important, they always remain CALM! Their laid back Southern attitude mixed with their competitive spirit and quick wit has made them fantastic to watch this season and nothing would make me happier than to see them be the first team to cross the finish line.

SAM'S PREDICTIONS3. Brent and CaiteThe dating models have definitely been on a hot streak lately, and their practicality skills are shockingly on point, but I can see them running into a few problems in the finale. I'm glad Caite was able to prove herself by making it to the finish line, and I think that will still be accomplished even with a 3rd place finish. They've done really well as of lately, but the consistency of The Cowboys and the determination of The Brothers will be insurmountable for the dating couple.

2. Jet and CordI definitely feel like this season is going boast an upset at the finish line. Jet and Cord are the obvious favorites, with their several first place finishes and consistent top three placement. I feel like that's how they'll run the finale and that's why they'll be runners-up. When they reached the mat and Phil told them they were in the final three, they barely even reacted. As someone who's heard that news, it's pretty much the climax of The Race and I almost collapsed in joy when it happened for me. I think they'll be a close second, but second nonetheless. If I'm right, there will be a lot of bummed out viewers this weekend. Despite their immense popularity and successful race so far, I'm predicting our sad little "first losers club" will be gaining some rodeo flair come Sunday.

1. Dan and JordanUPSET BABY!! I think Dan and Jordan are the most determined, the most passionate and the most invested in winning The Race. They don't have the best track record so far in terms of finishes, but they haven't necessarily shown significant amounts of weakness either. Here's how you win an Amazing Race finale: you put everything you have out there, take the big risks and throw caution to the wind. That's what lost is for Dan and me. Jordan's loveable personality along with his older brother's concern for the fulfillment of his younger brother's dream are a recipe for a likeable winning duo. Who doesn't love an underdog? Let's bring the win back to the siblings!

There is a video that is about 1:20 that you can view at the link. It will not embed.

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Phil Keoghan Analyzes The Amazing Race‘s Final Three Teams

May 9, 2010

Phil Keoghan, host of The Amazing Race, spoke to PEOPLE and broke down the pros and cons of the final three teams before the show’s finale Sunday night. Watch a sneak peek of the episode. Tune in to CBS (8 p.m. EST) to find out which set of world travelers will master motion capture at Lucas Films, reach Keoghan’s mat first and take home the $1 million prize in San Francisco, this season’s final destination. –Carrie Bell

The Cowboys: Jet and Cord McCoy

Strengths: Family ties are an asset and these brothers “with tremendous eye-hand coordination work extremely well together,” according to Keoghan. He also says they’re “the coolest team under pressure that we’ve ever had. The closest they ever got to losing their cool was in Seychelles when they forgot the map and even then I saw only a hint of frustration.” Maybe because this isn’t the professional bullriders first time at the rodeo. “They’re used to the limelight, high-level competition and performing under pressure,” Keoghan says. Weaknesses: Keoghan is concerned that very same coolness might cost them first place. “They’re very even and nice and may not be able to amp it up to guarantee a win,” he says. “At this point, you have to get cutthroat and have a win-at-any-cost mentality. I don’t know if they have it in them to push past another team to take the only taxi. The slightest hesitation will cost you.” Their trademark wide-eyed awe may also cost them time. “It’s one of the things that viewers have really identified with, but if they stop to smell the coffee for too long, someone else will drink it.”

The Model Couple: Brent Horne and Caite Upton

Strengths: Keoghan, like most of the contestants and viewers, never pictured this dating duo in the finale because of their “opposite personalities, frequent bickering and [numerous] silly errors they made early on where they missed the little details,” he says. And of course there’s that infamous beauty pageant blunder that made her look like an airhead. “[The other teams] judged her on that and figured she wouldn’t be able to hack the Race,” he continues. “But Caite’s determination to prove herself is the reason they’re still in it. Ultimately she led that team with a do-or-die mentality. She would push past anybody to get to the finish line first. She’s made it very clear that she will do whatever it takes.”Weaknesses: They’re the only unrelated pair left and they’ve known each other the least amount of time. “There’s an entirely different dynamic in boyfriend-girlfriend teams and they’re different people,” Keoghan explains. “Brent’s quite laid back and doesn’t like to be pushed too much. When he is, he tends to back down, give up and quit. Their different headspaces could become an issue.” Speaking of bad habits, she’s still the girl who froze and “lost the plot on national TV when the pressure was on,” he continues. “The stress of the final leg could trigger that same deer-in-headlights reaction.”

The Brothers: Dan and Jordan Pious:

Strengths: They’ve also got the brotherly bond working for them. It’s been Jordan’s dream to tryout for the Race and while Dan was never a big fan, he “has a tremendous amount of desire to help Jordan with his quest to win,” Keoghan says. “That determination to support his little brother and their close-knit relationship has allowed them to work well together and forced them to push themselves.”Weaknesses: While this tough team deserves to be final three, Keoghan worries their emotions or tempers will get the best of them. “When the pressure’s on or things stop going their way, Jordan gets very emotional and then Dan has to spend time taking care of him,” he explains. “That’s where their game falls apart, although I admire how good of a job he’s done picking him up off the floor and moving him along. But an outburst could cost them precious minutes. Their tempers, as we saw in the taxi last episode, flare up under pressure and they get rattled.”

Tell us: Who are you rooting for? And who do you think will win The Amazing Race?

While waiting for the ticket counter to open up, we see Brent & Caite in front, and bit back we see I think Jet a sleep, and we see Jordan put his backpack in between the fairly significant space between Brent & Caite and were Jet is. The cowboys are upset (and yeah Jordan did cut), and talk about how he wants to physical assault Jordan (which is now the 2nd person we have heard that Jet really wants to assault one a racer one a local), so clearly Dan is the only one who talks about wanting to physically hurt someone.

I can't stress to you enough that total viewers are no longer used as the metric to determine ad rates for shows (they did use to be), but they haven't for several years. Last years data, (demos in age and income) set ad rates for episodes, and TAR makes more per episode then 60 minutes does. And that variance will increase this coming year as 60 minutes ratings have fallen dramatically and TAR's has increased.

Current season

60 minutes is averaging 12.709 with a 2.4 in adults 18-49. Both are down from the previous year (in fact twice this year 60 minutes has hit series lows in both viewers and demos.

It is true that 60 minutes did see some gains last year, but when you look week to week (and compare that to the same week from the year ago) it can all be traced to two sources.

1. The stronger performance of football during the Fall which greatly enhances 60 Minutes performance (specifically Football and its overruns, and the two or three for basketball).

2. Last year they also benefited from election year coverage, those episodes that featured stories based on that performed far stronger then "normal" episodes.

Here is an example from this year.60 Minutes (average with an overrun)= 15.164 million viewers and a 3.29 in adults 18-49

60 Minutes (without overruns)= 11.912 million viewers and a 2.046 in adults 18-49.

Now Tar does get viewed by fewer people (always has, even during season 7), when 60 minutes often hit near 20 million viewers. But once they switched to age and income demo's 60 Minutes hasn't managed to hold on to being a large income generator for CBS.

I even state the reason that 60 minutes wont be moved any time in the next few years (even with declines) is that its a CBS institution. They get a lot of prestige from that show. And that is what keeps it where it is.

And its only getting worse for them. The numbers I report and you used are Live Same day numbers (meaning they count viewers who watch live or with in the 7pm to 2am window of that day.

But that also isn't the basis that forms ad rates, its the C3 numbers. Which are commercial viewing during the first 3 days. Now many sites report live plus 7, but for the purpose of revenue those final 4 days are meaningless. 60 minutes also performs exceptionally poorly (the worst of any show on CBS) in DVR use. People tend to watch that live or not at all. So Tar is going to also have increases here that 60 minutes doesn't really benefit from.

Then started this fall, online viewing is going to be factored into the C3 ratings (but only for those online sites that feature the same commercials as the nationwide broadcast, currently most don't and have only a few minutes of commercials. That will end, as most sites are preparing to have parity. What gets shown on broadcast will be what you few from the CBS site. 60 minutes also does very poorly off of online viewing (which shouldn't surprise as it has the oldest viewing audience of any show during primetime on network tv). And its age group spends the least amount of time of any age group in watching media online.

And here is a bit of trivia, when 60 minutes II was cancelled it was getting more viewers then TAr (which aired that same day). Why was it cancelled and TAR survived? Because its demo performance was awful. And unlike Sunday's edition, it wasn't considered as a vital part of CBS's identity.

At some point though (and it might be 5 or 10 years) CBS will change its schedule (well unless 60 minutes breaks its tradition and starts dramatically increasing its younger audience).

And here I thought Joe would be taking home the title of "most bitter racer"... until I watched the extra scenes... these ladies really take the cake! (initially I was on their side for being U-turned so ungraciously but their bitterness etc actually gives more credit to Caite's side of the story....)

(CBS) Brothers Dan and Jordan Pious swindled their way to the top and took home the million dollar grand prize on Sunday night's season finale of "The Amazing Race."

Despite starting off almost four hours behind, the sibling duo from Rhode Island were able to surpass the two other teams by pulling some rather unsportsman-like moves.

While on their way to San Francisco from Shanghai, Jordan and Dan arrived last to the airport but sneaked ahead by cutting in front of cowboys Jet and Cord in line at the ticket counter. Later, they found themselves in the number one spot after Dan asked the flight attendant to move them up to first class, which allowed them to be first off the plane.

Models Caite and Brent were the second team to get off the plane, but later fell behind after struggling with cab problems while en route to the Presidio, the second destination. Jet and Cord whizzed by them and quickly deciphered the riddle they found, which directed them to Coit Tower.

The clue at Coit Tower was a roadblock, and had one member of each team complete a vertical climb to the tower's archway to receive the third clue. Dan got the clue right when Jet and Cord arrived to the scene, while Caite and Brent were in a distant third and just got a hold of the riddle.

The next clue asked them to find the Yoda Fountain at Lucasfilm Ltd. The teams had to navigate a virtual world, with one partner suited up in a motion capture suit searching for the clue while the other was behind a computer giving directions.

When Jet and Cord arrived, they tried to distract the other set of brothers by being loud and obnoxious, which initially frustrated Dan. But, Dan and Jordan were able to pull through and eventually find the third clue first.

Still struggling to catch up, Caite and Brent finally arrived to the scene and attempted to close the gap between themselves and the cowboys. The four of them finish right at the same time and headed to the next destination, the Tonga Room, San Francisco's first and oldest tiki bar.

Just as they left, Caite and Brent realized they had left their wallets and personal belongs at Lucasfilm and were forced to go back, diminishing their chances of winning.

While at the Tonga Room, the clue asked the teams to pick up a big, heavy chest and lug it to their next destination: The Great American Music Hall. Once they arrived at the Hall, the teams were to open up the trunks and find 11 psychedelic posters that included faces of the eliminated teams. From there, they needed to use their memory and arrange them in the proper order before they received the next clue.

Jordan, an avid "Amazing Race" watcher, had a feeling this challenge would come up so he had all the names already noted down. They raced through the challenge before the cowboys even arrived and headed for Candlestick Park, the next and final destination.

Jet and Cord arrived to the Hall and quickly worked through the challenge. Once they left, it appeared that the race was neck-and-neck with the other set of brothers. But, in the end, Dan and Jordan were the first team to cross the finish line. An elated Jordan was grateful to his brother for helping him fulfill his dream of winning the race.

"I love my little brother and it's so great knowing I could help him make his No. 1 dream come true," Dan said.

Jett and Cord were happy with their second place arrival at the finish line. "We kept our character and integrity in tact -- we can hold our heads up high," they said.

When Caite and Brent finally arrived, everyone greeted them with smiles and applause except for Brandy and Carol, the team that Caite u-turned in a previous episode. Caite attempted to apologize but Brandy quickly snapped back.